The show's focus is on the work and lives of the officers,[3] led by Superintendent Jack Meadows (Simon Rouse)[4] and Inspector Dale "Smithy" Smith (Alex Walkinshaw).

On 26 March 2010, ITV had announced that The Bill would end production after 27 years on air due to a decline in ratings, since the episodes were reduced to once weekly since July 2009 during the 25th series, as a result of the 9pm post-watershed slot.

Smithy is called to the Jasmine Allen Estate where he discovers a dying teenager, identified as Liam Martin, who has been stabbed by gang members.

Investigations into his murder lead the team to Jasmine Harris (Faye Daveney), a previous informant of DC Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons).

In interview, Jasmine leads officers to Carlos Miller (Lewis Chase), who is arrested and claims that he killed Liam in self-defence.

[7] Following the murder of Liam Martin and the gang-rape of Jasmine Harris for talking to the police, uniformed officers arrive at the flat of Gary Wilson (Darragh Mortell), where they arrest him and Colin Simmons (Jumayne Hunte).

As Meadows and Detective Inspector Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) question the suspects, Smithy visits Jasmine in hospital, where she refuses to give a statement and prosecute.

Due to CCTV footage, the officers believe that gang member Derek Bailey (Femi Wilhelm) fired the shot, and set out to find him as a potential witness.

[9] The scene changes to a walkthrough Sun Hill with Mickey handing witness statements to Stevie, then he and Terry pinch Eddie's bag of crisps.

[5] The final shot is of the exterior of Sun Hill station, with Neil and Grace, holding hands as they leave, and Jack going to his car to drive home, and a dedication message to the men and women of the Metropolitan Police Service past and present appears,[10] before the credits roll, to a mixture of the new theme music, and the original one, "Overkill".

To "sign off" the series, the producers considered that they could "blow everything up" but ruled that out because they wanted to do something that "celebrated what The Bill has always been about which is ordinary people wearing a uniform and taking responsibility for society".

[12] In the finale, Callum Stone (Sam Callis) has to chase a suspect using one of the panda cars whilst Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) follows on foot.

[13] Later, when he finds hostage Derek Bailey, Stone comes face-to-face with Gary Wilson, the armed criminal responsible for Jasmine's rape and Liam Martin's murder.

"[21] The reviewer went on to suggest that the episode was "a subtle two-fingers salute to the men in suits"[21] at ITV who made the decision to cancel The Bill,[21] a sentiment shared by Sam Wollaston of The Guardian, who suggested that the Superintendent Jack Meadows' final speech, on the subject of respect, may have been partly directed at the "ITV top brass".